This blog is dedicated to the many many Europeans who, despite continuous disinformation campaigns, do not believe the worst of the Jews (malign and secret Jewish power); who do not disguise anti-Semitism behind the language of anti-Zionism; and who know that Israel embodies the best in democracy.

Monday, 29 June 2009

"The medical students explained that each bone costs 40 dollars, which is paid to the cemetery custodian. For that price the workers dig the grave for the bones and "clean them up nicely." "

BUCHAREST (EJP)---Students at the University of Iasi in Romania have allegedly been purchasing parts of skeletons from a mass Jewish grave, the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) has learned.

The grim discovery was made by an American Jew living in Iasi, a city in northeastern Romania, who sent an email to the Rabbinical Centre’s department of burials and cemeteries.

According to his testimony, local medical students have purchased human bones and skulls for research purposes from a mass grave of Holocaust victims located in Podu Iloaiei, a nearby village. The city of Iasi is known for a large number of institutes of higher education attracting thousands of international students, of which the University of Medicine and Pharmacy GT Popa is the most prominent.

Current enrolment includes some 50 Jewish students, primarily Israelis.

During the Holocaust two death trains left Isai after the famous pogroms on June 30th, 1941. One of the two trains stopped in Podu Iloaiei and 1,194 Jews who died along the way from thirst and exhaustion were buried in a mass grave in the village.

The email described an exchange between the American and the students who freely and openly offered up information about making use of the Jewish bones from the grave. The medical students explained that each bone costs 40 dollars, which is paid to the cemetery custodian. For that price the workers dig the grave for the bones and "clean them up nicely."In response to the email, RCE representatives approached a number of Jewish medical students at the GT Popa school in Iasi. These students confirmed that information about the sale of human bones and skulls have circulated in the university.

This is in sharp contrast to the practice in most universities with medical departments where the students are educated using plastic parts. However, the Jewish students contacted were unable to name a direct source for the purchase of the bones.

Earlier this month, the Rabbinical Center of Europe sent two students to Podu Iloaiei for investigative purposes. Upon reaching the cemetery, the foreign students posed as Romanian medical students. They asked the female caretaker of the mass grave whether the purchase of a number of bones would be possible to arrange. During the ensuing discussion, which was recorded and later filed in the RCE offices, the woman did not deny being involved in such a grisly business. However, throughout the discussion the caretaker continually referred the visitors to her husband.

One Jewish student at GT Popa who asked for anonymity for "fear of retaliation from the students and university staff," said that it was clear that the woman was wary and was concealing information.

Source: article by Maud Swinnen in EJPPhoto: Rabbinical Centre of Europe: the mass grave of Holocaust victims is located in Podu Iloaiei, a village near Iasi.

"These European-funded "lawfare" cases are part of the much wider process, conducted through highly political NGOs in Israel that seek to overturn the government's policies - groups like B'Tselem, Yesh Din, Machsom Watch, Bimkom, Ir Amim, Adalah, Mossawa, etc. (The EU claims to fund these NGOs under the guise of limited projects, but the amounts often constitute the bulk of the total operating budget.) "

European efforts to play a major role in Arab-Israeli peace discussions have again been overshadowed, this time by US President Barack Obama's initiative. To raise Europe's visibility, the rate of official visits has increased, and a number of academic conferences on Europe's role are taking place. For example, yesterday the Hebrew University began a three-day conference with the ambitious headline "Strengthening the Forces of Moderation in the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict: The Role of the European Union After the Gaza War."

For diplomats and policy-makers, a "frank and honest exchange of views" on the problematic European track record in academic settings could be very helpful in correcting decades of misjudgments. For example, during the Oslo process, the European Union and its member states were convinced that Yasser Arafat was a "force of moderation," providing him and his corrupt Fatah cronies with suitcases of money, justified as necessary to "grease the wheels" of the peace process and Palestinian state building. Instead, the cash went to foreign bank accounts and terror.

In Europe, there have been very few independent analyses of these and other diplomatic and policy failures. Fearing embarrassment and worse, officials rejected calls for an independent investigation, until the European Parliament forced the European Commission to hold an inquiry (known as the OLAF report). But years later, this report remains top secret, meaning that few if any lessons were apparently learned.

Given this record and the difficulties that Europe has in analyzing itself, serious academic research and conferences can play a very positive role. Unfortunately, many of these discussions of European policy feature speakers and officials who prefer to preach to Israelis rather than investigating their contribution to failure. In parallel, important issues related to policy failures are conspicuously absent from such conferences.

One subjet consistently avoided in the quasi-official research and conference framework is the massive European funding for radical nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) whose activities fuel the conflict instead of "strengthening the forces of moderation," as proclaimed in the title of this conference. Through the "Barcelona program" and aid schemes, the European Commission and member governments provide tens of millions of euros every year to Palestinian, Israeli and other NGOs. The ostensible objectives include promoting democracy, peace, development and human rights, but the results are often counterproductive and fuel the conflict.

These NGOs lead the demonization and delegitimization of Israel, through labels such as "apartheid" and "war crimes," based on the strategy adopted at the 2001 Durban Conference NGO Forum. For example, European NGO funding is the primary engine behind the "lawfare" assaults against Israeli military and civilian officials - a form of soft-war aggression through the courts which accompanies the "hard war" of terrorism. The current case in Spain (chosen for its lenient universal jurisdiction policies) is led by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which is funded by the European Commission, Norway, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and other governments. Indeed, PCHR is a central force in the NGO demonization and political warfare against Israel.

These European-funded "lawfare" cases are part of the much wider process, conducted through highly political NGOs in Israel that seek to overturn the government's policies - groups like B'Tselem, Yesh Din, Machsom Watch, Bimkom, Ir Amim, Adalah, Mossawa, etc. (The EU claims to fund these NGOs under the guise of limited projects, but the amounts often constitute the bulk of the total operating budget.)

An examination of the activities of European funded NGOs demonstrates that they do not contribute to "strengthening the forces of moderation." Many are active in promoting anti-Israel boycott campaigns, one-state proposals (meaning the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state) and submitting tendentious claims to UN "investigatory" committees.

A serious discussion of these issues would ask questions like: How does this happen? Who guides these decisions? Why are European government funds for NGOs used to undermine compromise, mutual acceptance and the two-state solution that Europe claims to support? The chaos in EU funding for NGOs and frequent overlaps add to these problems - there is no coordinator or central data source. European transparency regulations are ignored in this area, and no records or protocols are available for NGO allocations under European Commission programs. The names and possible conflicts of interests of the policy-makers are hidden from public scrutiny. Evaluation processes, if any, are secret, making it difficult to explore constructive changes.

When NGO Monitor was unable to obtain the most basic documents and threatened a lawsuit under the EU's own transparency rules, European officials sent a CD containing about 50 documents, most of which had all the relevant information deleted including the names of NGO partner organizations and the evaluation criteria. It was impossible to decipher the few meaningless statements and figures that remained, making constructive evaluation impossible. These issues should be high on the agendas of discussions and conferences, such as the one taking place at Hebrew University. Unfortunately, these "difficult" subjects and conflicts are largely avoided. Comfortable but misleading headlines, such as "Strengthening the forces of moderation," take precedence over the open examination of European support for "lawfare," the "right of return" and Palestinian rejectionism.

The writer chairs the political science department at Bar-Ilan University and is executive director of NGO Monitor.Source: JPost

Oxfam Belgium boycott campaign against Israel: the bloody orange poster is reminiscent of the 1370 legend that "holy communion wafers began to bleed after being stabbed with daggers by the Jews of Brabant at the synagogue in Brussels".

"When Charles Enderlin claimed that Mohamed Al Durah and his father were the target of fire coming from the Israeli position, he had a major impact on global Jihad. According to the Sharia, Muslims may not kill the women and children of their enemies, unless those enemies kill Muslim civilians. When Osama bin Laden made a recruiting video before 9-11, he had a special section on Muhamed Al Durah, explaining that when "the Israelis" murdered the boy, they killed every Muslim child in the world. Daniel Pearl was beheaded with a picture of Mohamed al Durah behind him and scenes of Al Durah spliced into the slitting of his throat. So, no, the world has not forgotten about Mohamed Al Durah, and Israel was wrong all the way to try and ignore the issue, hoping it would evaporate. Indeed, Enderlin's ultimate defense and punching line to that day is that the very fact that Israel did not sue him or investigate his report it the proof that he did nothing wrong."

Last Saturday (June 20), an Iranian teenager named Neda was murdered on the streets of Tehran because she was exercising her right to protest. Her murder, agony and death were captured by a camera, and the shocking scene was posted on YouTube.

Neda, which means "voice" in Persian, has become the icon of the anti-Ahmanidejad movement. An Iranian blogger dedicated his post on www.iranian.com to the memory of Neda saying that "she will be the new symbol of Iran" and that "her murder by the regime is the beginning of our movement and we will continue this movement and carry her name everywhere." A Twitter re-posting compared Neda to Muhammad Al Dura: "Like Mohammed Al Dura the kid killed by Israeli soldiers in 2000, the image of Neda killed by a Basij [the paramilitary voluntary militia controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, NDLR] in 2009 will remain with me forever."

I wish well to Iranian protesters and I hope, like them, that Neda will become the symbol of their struggle for freedom. But the comparison with Al Dura is inappropriate. The fact that Al Dura is still a pervasive symbol around the world just goes to show how wrong Israeli officials are when they brush off the affair, claiming it has already been forgotten.

The comparison with Al Dura is inappropriate, because Mohamed Al Dura was not killed by Israeli soldiers and because the scene of his alleged killing was almost certainly staged. This is no conspiracy theory or slander. On May 21, 2008, a French court (the "Court d'Appel de Paris") ruled that media analyst Philippe Karsenty is entitled to claim that the Al Dura scene is a hoax. The court did not rule whether or not the scene was staged (it wasn't asked to do so); but by ruling that it is legitimate for Karsenty to claim that the scene was staged, the court implicitly admitted that Karsenty's claim is not unfounded.

PALESTINE & US HEGEMONYExploring the achievements of resistance and discussing shifts in US foreign policy6pm, Thursday July 9thFriend Meeting House, Euston

Speakers:HIZBULLAH REPRESENTATIVE (video link from Lebanon)HAIFA ZANGANA (on Iraq)DR AZZAM TAMIMI (on Palestine)NADINE ROSA-ROSSO (from recogniseresistance.net, on the role of the anti-imperialist movements in the West)DYAB ABOU JAHJAH (IUPFP International Director, video link from Lebanon)JOHN REES (from Stop the War, on the role of the anti-war movement)Chair: Sukant Chandan (Chairman of the British section of the IUPFP)-----------------------------The purpose of the meeting is to gather more British support for terrorist groups:

It will not be of any surprise to anyone in the movement in Britain to hear at meetings and in the propaganda of the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movement people talking of the right to resistance. But what the British branch of the IUPFP would like to do is go even beyond this, from the right to resistance to what the achievements of resistance have been. Some may argue that this discussion should have started some years ago, at least since the outbreak of the Second/Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000. Better late than never as the saying goes, but no-one can anymore ignore that resistance and the crumbling economic, moral, and political authority and hegemony over the world is disintegrating before our eyes. It is hardly controversial to state that the resistance in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and other places have contributed to the conditions which have resulted in the decay and soon coming end of US hegemony.

The IUPFP British branch would like to take an initiative and hold a meeting with experts in this field, to raise these issues and to make them a part of the mainstream anti-war and solidarity movement.-----------------------------I wonder, if it is true that Friends House will host this meeting, how exactly this position can be squared with the venue’s lettings policy:

A booking may be refused if:* The aims and policies of the organisation or individual are in serious conflict with Quaker beliefs. Written details of the aims or policies of new groups wishing to hold meetings in Friends house are normally requested*Violence or the encouragement of violence at a meeting may reasonably be anticipated

Friday, 26 June 2009

"Where is Gilad ? How does he feel ? How does he spend every day? The normal life of a young man stopped on June 25, 2006." (Maurice Blibaum)

BRUSSELS (EJP)---Around 1,500 people, including France’s ambassador to Belgium, rallied Thursday in the EU quarter of Brussels to mark the third anniversary of the detention of French-Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas and to call for his release. "I am here as a gesture of solidarity and to express my concern about the fate of Gilad Shalit. France is concerned because he is also French," Ambassador Dominique Broché, who was accompanied by his Israeli colleague Tamar Samash, told EJP.

Wearing white T-shirts marked with the words "Liberté pour Gilad Shalit" (Freedom for Gilad Shalit), the people - mainly members of the Jewish community of Belgium - formed a human peaceful chain of solidarity in front of the Berlaymont, the building which headquarters the European Commission.

"We demand today with gravity the immediate and unconditional release of Gilad Shalit," Maurice Blibaum, president of the Association Belgian Support for Gilad Shalit, who organized the rally, said.

Gilad was 19-year-old when he was kidnapped by Palestinian groups in Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip. Since then, his parents have had no news from their son.

"Where is Gilad ? How does he feel ? How does he spend every day? The normal life of a young man stopped on June 25, 2006," Blibaum said, stressing that Hamas refuses a visit from the Red Cross or from any other international institution.

"This release should not be seen in terms of price or exchange but in view of the respect of fundamental human rights. This is a humanitarian urgency," he added, calling on Hamas in Gaza and outside to make proof of humanity in authorizing a medical visit in conformity with the international legislation.

"We also call on the Israeli authorities to left no stone unturned to find a compromise in order to get the release of Gilad Shalit".

"We also call on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to continue to show the same determination on this issue that led already to the release of the Bulgarian medics and Ingrid Betancourt".

During a meeting Wednesday in Paris with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sarkozy expressed his readiness "to take any initiative to help get the release of Gilad Shalit."

The organizers of the Brussels rally handed over a letter written by Noam Shalit, father of Gilad, to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

The European Commission and Israel on Monday signed a financing agreement for the development of two twinning projects in the areas of equal employment opportunities and veterinary services aimed at fostering economic integration.

"European experts will be working in Israel for extended periods of time to assist the respective Israeli institutions in conforming to EU standards," Raphael Morav, director of the Foreign Ministry's Europe Department, told The Jerusalem Post.

Foreign Ministry Director-General Yossi Gal and European Commission Ambassador to Israel Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal signed the agreement for implementation of the Annual Action Program for Israel, which is part of the European Neighborhood Policy of the European Union. The program, which was established last year, is for seven years and has a €2 million annual budget.

Last week the EU said any upgrade of its relations with Israel would depend on shared values, common interests and objectives, including "the resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict through the implementation of the two-state solution."

"It has to be emphasized that independently of the upgrade considerations, all signed agreements are being continued," Morav said. "The 2008 Annual Action Program for Israel is part of the ongoing cooperation between Israel and the EU, and its objective is to achieve a significant level of economic integration." European experts will be working in Israel to assist in establishing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry.

Last year, two twinning projects were established: to help the Transportation Ministry provide quality public transport in urban areas; and to establish the Israel Law, Information and Technology Authority.

"The petition, initiated by a man named Yusuf Ibrahim, was signed by over [rather ONLY] 38,000 people." The British government has refused to heed a petition calling on the UK to impose an arms embargo on Israel and press other countries to stop supplying arms to the Jewish state.

The government responded last week to a petition posted in the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead on the official Web site of the Prime Minister's Office. The petition, initiated by a man named Yusuf Ibrahim, was signed by over 38,000 people.

Anyone can post petitions on the Prime Minister's Office site, and the government will respond to those that get more than 500 signatures.

The petitioners asked the prime minister "to do everything in his power to impose an arms embargo on Israel in light of the recent Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and to apply pressure on countries supplying Israel with arms that breach international agreements with the intention of restoring lasting peace to the region," the petition read. It claimed Israel was responsible for exacerbating tensions in the region.

"Only a complete arms embargo will send a clear message to Israel that this government will not accept the prolonged armed conflict which is aggravating existing tensions in the region."The petition also stated that an embargo would show that Britain was committed to establishing peace in the region and "will have a far reaching impact in terms of marginalizing the ideologies of radical extremist groups."

In its response last week, the government said it did not believe an embargo would benefit the region and that Israel had a right to defend itself. [...]

Monday, 22 June 2009

"Far worse than these ageing sins of a beloved madman are the anti-Semitic incidents which we see in contemporary Norway. And equally bad - the growing consciousness of how Israel is regularly demonized by prominent Norwegians for no good reason whatsoever. This site says Knut Hamsun be damned, he is of no political significance. But oh Lord, do give us newspapermen who are able to cover the Middle East in an adult and proper manner."

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published an article under the title "Row grows over Norway honor for pro-Nazi Nobel laureate". We are of course talking about Knut Hamsun, the "from rags to riches" author who in the winter of his life cast his lot in with Adolf Hitler, about whom he wrote an obituary on the eve of Nazi-Germany’s defeat. In his article Haaretz journalist Cnaan Liphshiz quotes among others an analyst for the Anti-Defamation League:

"No government should honor Nazis, their collaborators or their sympathizers," said Carole Nuriel, an analyst for the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL drafted a statement on Norway in consultation with the country’s Jewish community, noting that in the framework of commemoration, the Norwegian government was "highlighting Hamsun’s moral failure, not downplaying it."

On the other hand Bjørn Svenungsen from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry emphasizes how:

… honoring Hamsun is "a commemoration of one of Norway’s most important authors." He said all parties involved have criticized Hamsun’s Nazi past. The celebration is "a tribute to Hamsun’s role in European literature, not an acceptance of his political views," Svenungsen added. "The event is also used to remember the massive criticism of Hamsun after the 1945 liberation."

Nazi collaborator and great author

The issue of Hamsun - Nazi collaborator and great author - was quite recently covered in the New York Times as well. On February 27th, 2009, Walter Gibbs (Norwegian Nobel Laureate…) included the following quotes:

"Hamsun wrote great novels, but they are completely overshadowed by his behavior as a Hitler lackey," said Jo Benkow, 84, a former president of the Norwegian parliament. "At least for my generation, it’s outrageous to give more honors. He won the Nobel Prize in 1920. That should be enough."

In Gibbs’ article, Jo Benkow is countered by a famous Norwegian Hamsun biogropher:

"We can’t help loving him, though we have hated him all these years," said Ingar Sletten Kolloen, author of "Dreamer & Dissenter," a Hamsun biography. "That’s our Hamsun trauma. He’s a ghost that won’t stay in the grave."

In the end, all three of the abovementioned articles are the same. Is it at all possible to celebrate an author who sympathised with the Nazi-regime ? The only new voice worthwhile of comment is Manfred Gerstenfeld of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, quoted both in the Haeretz and NTB article, who claims that the national celebration of Knut Hamsun is just "the tip of the iceberg". This is the correct take on the issue of Hamsun. Like a score of other incidents and events which have taken place in Norway lately, this matter of Hamsun is, in isolation, not of such tremendous importance. Knut Hamsun was mad as a hatter, what do you expect of him?

Far worse than these ageing sins of a beloved madman are the anti-Semitic incidents which we see in contemporary Norway. And equally bad - the growing consciousness of how Israel is regularly demonized by prominent Norwegians for no good reason whatsoever.

This site says Knut Hamsun be damned, he is of no political significance. But oh Lord, do give us newspapermen who are able to cover the Middle East in an adult and proper manner.

Saturday, 20 June 2009

"This exhibition beautifully demonstrates the exceptional contribution of Jews to European art and culture. Chagall himself famously noted that 'If I were not a Jew...I wouldn’t have been an artist', yet few truly understood that his brush was guided by his strong Jewish identity. We hope that the works on display by internationally-recognized masters will inspire tolerance and understanding also encourage our youth to take pride in their Jewish roots as many of these artists demonstrated through the medium of art." (Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress)

Marc Chagall's Clown Musician, one of the three pieces by Chagall in the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery (MAGMA) in Moscow. The painting is on display in Geneva in the framewok of the exhibition "My homeland is within my soul: art without broders".

GENEVA (EJP)---The Jewish Contribution to Art and European Culture will be highlighted on Thursday in Geneva with the opening of an exhibition of one of the world’s most important collections of 20th Century Russian avant-garde art.

"My Homeland is Within My Soul, Art Without Borders: The Jewish Contribution to Art and European Culture" will open in the Swiss city in the company of European government officials, members of Parliament, and the diplomatic corps at the Palais des Nations which headquarters the European seat of the United Nations.

The exhibit, which is the first-ever public presentation of the collection of the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery ("MAGMA"), features original works by internationally-recognized Jewish art masters - including Chagall and Rothko.

Through the works themselves, the exhibit aims to promote tolerance and cultural values in contemporary society. The works are living examples of both the Jewish contribution to art and culture and European tolerance and acceptance. Although many of the exhibits were created with strong Jewish identities, their gift to European culture is a shining example of minority contribution to the multicultural and tolerant landscape within the continent.

Underlying this, the venue for the exhibit launch was deliberately chosen as the Palais de Nations/the United Nations, the heart of European diplomacy and worldwide symbol of efforts to foster a tolerant atmosphere. The art and artworks featured by the Museum and the exhibit focus on the concept of "art without borders" – the power of free expression of ideas, possible only in the atmosphere of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect among people of various nationalities and backgrounds.

The exhibit, which opened on June 11 and will run through July 17, is an example of cooperation between the United Nations Director General in Geneva, the Russian Embassy, and Moshe Kantor, Chairman and Founder of the MAGMA Museum and President of the European Jewish Congress (EJC).

"This exhibition beautifully demonstrates the exceptional contribution of Jews to European art and culture," said Kantor.

"Chagall himself famously noted that 'If I were not a Jew... I wouldn’t have been an artist', yet few truly understood that his brush was guided by his strong Jewish identity," Kantor added.

"We hope that the works on display by internationally-recognized masters will inspire tolerance and understanding also encourage our youth to take pride in their Jewish roots as many of these artists demonstrated through the medium of art."

The exhibit will feature 40 artworks from such masters as Mark Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Amedeo Modigliani, Mark Rothko, Leon Bakst, Alexander Tyshler, Jacques Lipchitz, Viktor Pivovarov, Ilya Kabakov, Erik Bulatov, Solomon Telingater, David Shterenberg, and other important Jewish artists who have made a lasting contribution to world art and culture.

Viktor Pivovarov, The Fifth Floor, 2005

Moshe Kantor shows a painting from Chaim Soutine, Confectioner of Cagnes, 1922-1923, during the opening of the exhibit in Geneva on 11 June.

Ten years ago, Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress, came up with the idea of establishing the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery and became its founder.

Thursday, 18 June 2009

"One senior Israeli diplomatic official noted that the EU foreign ministers did not decide to scrap the upgrade decision, as was being advocated by Belgium and Luxembourg, but rather to drag their feet in its implementation."

In what is perceived in Jerusalem as a mistaken effort to give Hamas room to maneuver, the EU's 27 foreign ministers, in a statement issued Monday, did not call, as in the past, for Hamas to forswear terrorism, recognize Israel or accept previous PLO agreements with Israel.

Government sources in Jerusalem said France led the efforts to keep what has become known as the Quartet's three conditions on Hamas from being included in the European Council's conclusions on the Middle East peace process.

Instead, the statement said the foreign ministers expressed "continued encouragement for inter-Palestinian reconciliation behind [Palestinian Authority] President Mahmoud Abbas and support for the mediation efforts by Egypt and the Arab League."

The foreign ministers called "on all Palestinians to find common ground, based on nonviolence, in order to facilitate reconstruction in Gaza and the organization of elections."

The move to keep the three conditions out of the resolutions comes amid mounting concern in Jerusalem that Europe is slowly moving away from the three conditions on Hamas, which have been adopted both by the Quartet and the UN Security Council. According to diplomatic sources, the French were trying to give Hamas "a way out," and felt that if the conditions were not always mentioned every statement, it might give the Islamist organization a chance to soften its positions and perhaps give a boost to Egyptian-brokered talks between Fatah and Hamas.

Upgrading of ties between EU and Israel on holdThe European foreign ministers issued another statement regarding Israel on Tuesday, this one following the EU Association meeting the day before with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in which they essentially said the decision from last year to upgrade ties with Israel would remain in place, but that no steps toward implementing it would be taken at this point.

In December, the EU's foreign ministers approved a significant upgrade in the union's relationship with Israel, including a political upgrade that would include ad hoc summit meetings between Israel's prime minister and all EU heads of government, something that has never taken place before. It also called for Israel's foreign minister to meet with all 27 EU foreign ministers three times a year, the inclusion of Israel in EU peacekeeping forces and for an EU commitment to help Israel better integrate into UN agencies. The upgrade would also enable Israeli participation in a wide variety of EU programs that are currently closed to it.

But, as one senior European diplomatic official said on Tuesday, the upgrade remained in the "in-box," and would not move forward until the EU was satisfied with Israeli progress on the peace process - something not currently the case. The upgrade was essentially frozen during Operation Cast Lead, and has stayed in that state ever since.

Nevertheless, one senior Israeli diplomatic official noted that the EU foreign ministers did not decide to scrap the upgrade decision, as was being advocated by Belgium and Luxembourg, but rather to drag their feet in its implementation. The Arab countries have for months been lobbying against the upgrade."Despite efforts of some countries to cancel what was already agreed upon, their efforts did not succeed," the official said. "Europe repeated its commitment to the upgrade, and we will continue to work toward implementing it, hopefully in the near future."

Wednesday, 17 June 2009

"Reacting to the hostile language of the anti-Israeli trade union resolutions, Sommer said at that time, "The slogans of the anti-Israeli boycott measures are an embarrassing reminder of the Nazi rallying cry, 'Don't buy at Jewish stores.'"

Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB) President Michael Sommer announced his support Thursday for a new labor-based group, TULIP, that aims to stop trade union-sponsored efforts to boycott Israel.

Speaking at a joint Histadrut and DGB event in Berlin entitled "A reliable partnership," Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Ofer Eini said it "is a bad phenomenon" when labor unions declare a boycott against Israel because it "damages the workers organizations" among Palestinians and Israelis.

He added that "TULIP is very important for us" and asked his counterpart Sommer for support at the event, which was sponsored by the German-Israeli friendship society of Berlin-Potsdam.TULIP (Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine) was launched in April and is led by union officials from three continents - Paul Howes, national secretary of the Australian Workers Union; Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (US/Canada); and Michael Leahy, general secretary of Community, a British trade union.

Sommer, who is considered a staunch ally of Israel and its trade union movement, told The Jerusalem Post that he supports the TULIP initiative and will propose an affiliation with the group at next week's DGB executive board meeting.

Ulrike Sommer, wife of DGB president Sommer, is an active member in the Berlin-Potsdam chapter of the German-Israeli friendship society. Jochen Feilcke, a former Christian Democratic Union party MP and president of the local Berlin-Potsdam DIG, moderated the panel with Eini and Sommer. Sommer's declaration to reject anti-Israel boycott resolutions comes as no surprise to trade unionists because he has a solid track record in combating international and domestic calls to isolate Israel. [...]

Sommer said he is a proponent of the German-Israel "special relationship" and rejects the calls for a "return to normal relations."

"We have a latent form of anti-Semitism in this society." said Sommer, adding that the German union movement views itself as "fighter of anti-Semitism." He cited the oft-heard statement that, "We are not against the Jews, but Israel" as an area where the public needs to be sensitized in overcoming prejudice.

Rising anti-Zionism and anti-Israel boycott measures among such trade union leaders within the Irish Congress of Trade Union, the University College Union (the largest academic union in England), and the Scottish Trades Union Congress helped fuel TULIP's founding statement of criticism which said: "A number of those unions have called for boycotts and sanctions directed against Israel, and only against Israel. They are attempting to demonize the Jewish state, to deny it legitimacy, and to whip up hatred against it. Sometimes that hatred even spills over into anti-Semitism. Those unions are wrong - terribly wrong.'"

Monday, 15 June 2009

Unsurprising decision, attended by the usual European cacophony from the good friends and the not so good friends of Israel.

uropean Union foreign ministers welcomed on Monday Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's endorsement of the goal of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel as expressed in his Bar Ilan speech on Sunday evening, but said it was not enough to raise EU-Israel ties to a higher level, Reuters reported.

The ministers, who were due to meet Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman later on Monday, questioned the preconditions cited by Netanyahu for establishing a Palestinian state, as well as his defense of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

"That's good but it's only a first step," Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said before the talks in Luxembourg.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also said that Netanyahu's speech was "not sufficient." "Nothing was said on the settlements ... but this stopping of the settlements is essential," said Kouchner, who in an earlier statement rejected any preconditions to peace negotiations.

The EU and Israel have agreed in principle to upgrade an "association agreement" defining their ties, but the 27-nation bloc has put the upgrade on a hold, and says it wants a firm commitment from Israel to seek a so-called two-state peace accord with the Palestinians.

Other EU ministers joined US President Barack Obama in expressing support for Netanyahu's "endorsement." Netanyahu's endorsement of a Palestinian state is a "step in the right direction," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country holds the EU presidency, said on Monday.Kohout added that while the prime minister's comments on Sunday needed more analysis "the acceptance of a Palestinian state is there."

Kohout spoke to reporters upon arrival at a session of EU foreign ministers who were meeting with Lieberman.

The Dutch government is spilt over whether relations between the European Union and Israel should be upgraded. The Labor party, headed by Finance Minister Wouter Bos, opposed stepping up political and commercial ties with Israel, days before a European Parliament session matter slated for next week.

Labor, the country's second largest party, on the other hand, demand that any upgrading of ties with Israel should depend on the continuation of the political peace process with the Palestinians.Labor member Marcel van Dam, who is currently visiting Israel and the Palestinian Authority as part of a European delegation, said it would be "completely ridiculous to give Israel presents now".

Foreign Minister Verhagen is also slated to visit Israel and the Gaza Strip later on in the month, to evaluate for himself the progress of efforts to rebuild the Strip.

Verhagen has also been receiving criticism from home. Last week, former Prime Minister Dries van Agt and former Foreign Minister Hans van den Broek, both members of Verhagen's Christian Democratic Appeal party, published an op-ed, in which they adamantly opposed supporting Israel.

Israel must show 'earnestness'

The two expressed an opinion similar to that of the finance minister, saying that Israel should first show "earnestness" with regards to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Christian Union party, which is the third most important in the Dutch coalition, is now working to prevent the application of economic pressure on Israel that has been demanded by the Labor party. According to Christian Union members, improving economic ties with Israel and the Palestinians may bring the vision of peace closer.

Arie Slob, the party's representative in the lower house of the Netherlands' parliament, published an article on Friday calling the move "a primitive and authoritarian attempt" to impose a peace agreement on Israel.

"The Palestinians are not living up to the terms set by the international community, including renouncing violence and recognizing Israel. Any attempt to pressure Israel now will only lead to a 'three-state' solution," he wrote. [...]

Friday, 12 June 2009

"Al Haq is a leader in the NGO "lawfare" and BDS movement (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) against Israel. The NGO’s funders include many European governments, NGOs, and international foundations, (Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Christian Aid, Diakonia, Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute)."

NGO Monitor: Al Haq-supported Lawfare in Canada

On July 8, 2008, the Bil’in Village Council, with the assistance of the Palestinian NGO "Al Haq", filed suit in Quebec against three Canadian corporations involved in construction projects in the town of Kiryat Sefer (Modi’in Ilit) in Israel. The village council and Al Haq claim that these corporations “are aiding, abetting, assisting and conspiring with Israel, the Occupying Power in the West Bank, in carrying out an illegal act” and acting in violation of the Geneva Conventions. A preliminary hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for the end of June 2009. This case is one of a series initiated by Al Haq as part of its strategy to exploit Western courts for political goals ("lawfare"). Al Haq has also filed two suits (2006 and 2009) against British government officials to stop weapons sales to Israel. The 2006 suit was dismissed, and the 2009 suit is pending, but will likely be dismissed as well.

The Bil’in Village Council is also represented by Israeli attorney and political activist Michael Sfard. He is the legal advisor for the NGO known as Yesh Din, is on the legal team for Al-Haq’s Shawan Jabarin (see below), as well as for Peace Now and other groups.

Background on Al Haq:Al Haq is a leader in the NGO "lawfare" and BDS movement (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) against Israel. The NGO’s funders include many European governments, NGOs, and international foundations, (Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Christian Aid, Diakonia, Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute).

Wednesday, 10 June 2009

"I'd burn Israeli books myself if I found any in libraries in Egypt." (Farouk Hosni)"Having killed hundreds of children they [?] have no right to criticize." (Federico Mayor) More incitement to hatred.

Commenting on the opposition to the appointment of the Egyptian Culture Minister, Farouk Hosni, to the position of Director-General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, a former Spanish Director-General of UNESCO from 1987 to 1999 said (translated from the French):

"I do not agree with these criticisms, which, incidentally, come from Israeli representatives. Who do they think they are to make such remarks. Having killed hundreds of children they have no right to criticize. It is impossible for them to criticize after what they did in Gaza. "

Source: Saphir News------------------------------------------------Farouk Hosni In His Own Words (ADL)

"Normalization? I know quite a bit about you, you have abilities that I hold in high esteem. I follow and am kept abreast. Believe me, I don't hate Israel and under no circumstances am I an anti-Semite. But cultural normalization? Not now."

Q: Why not?

"We have political ties and economic cooperation. In my view, cultural ties are our weapon to pressure Israel into doing more on the Palestinian issue."(Interview with Smadar Peri, Yediot Ahronot, June 13, 2008)------------------------------------------------ "We cannot dance with them, sing together or watch a piece of theatre when there are bloody attacks every day against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip."(Interview with AFP, May 23, 2008)------------------------------------------------ "I would burn Israeli books myself if I found them in Egyptian libraries."(May 10, 2008)------------------------------------------------"They steal everything: musical heritage, cinema and even clothes and this is why they have to be treated with the same level of hate…"(Interview to Al-Wasat, London, June 13, 2001)------------------------------------------------"My attitude towards normalization is known and so is my ministry's attitude: we oppose all kinds of normalization… The Ministry of Culture is practically the only official body that has a declared attitude against normalization…"(Interview to Al-Mashahid as-Siyasi, London, June 10, 2001)------------------------------------------------"How would a normalization of this kind be possible, with such a culture that hates the other and robs its culture?"(Interview with Al-Mashahid as-Siyasi, June 10, 2001)------------------------------------------------"The Israeli culture is inhuman. It is an aggressive, racist and arrogant culture, based on robbing other people's rights and the denial of such rights…"(Interview with Al-Mashahid as-Siyasi, London, June 10, 2001)------------------------------------------------"Israel never left any eternal heritage for the civilization, in any period of time…" (From his statement in the opening of the Arab specialists gathering for the protection of antiquities in Arab countries(Qatar News Agency, April 25, 2001).------------------------------------------------"Israel is known in the international arena as a state that steals everything and attributes it to itself…"(Interview with Ruz al-Yousuf, April 21, 2001)------------------------------------------------"…They (the Zionists) do not want to commit a cultural invasion, they want to rob our culture and heritage…"(Interview with the Lebanese As-Safir, December 7, 2000)------------------------------------------------"The Israelis do not stop claiming that they built the pyramids, and this is why we need to stand firmly and respond courageously… even if it leads to a crisis because those pirates are committing a robbery… The Israelis want everything…" "…This is the way the Israelis took Palestine… Now they use (this method) regarding the big pyramid. These are continuous projects – people come, steal your history and civilization. This proves that Israel has no history or civilization, since those who have history of their own do not need to rob the history of others …" "…Israel has many political goals… First of all, they steal your civilization and history. Second, they do not have any civilization, i.e. they do not have a country, and do not deserve a country. This is why they create a country by force…"(Interview with Ros al-Yusuf, May 5, 1997, "Israel is Robbing the Pyramids as it Robbed Palestine")

Monday, 8 June 2009

ATHENS (EJP)---A Jewish cemetery in Ioannina, in northwestern Greece, was vandalized for the third time this year.

According to the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, extremists brutally vandalized six tombs – among which that of the mother of the President of the local Jewish community-, destroyed part of a Holocaust memorial situated in the cemetery and daubed it with the blood of a turtle which they previously killed. The desecration occurred early on Wednesday morning, news reports said.

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The president of the Jewish community of Ioninna, Moses Elisaf, who is also a town councilor, urged local authorities "to take measures to arrest the perpetrators" and called upon his fellow citizens "to condemn these violent anti-Semitic attacks.".

The Central Board issued a statement stressing "the responsibility of the local authorities" and urging "all competent authorities to speed up the procedure to arrest the vandals" and the local society to react against the manifestations of anti-Semitism in Ioannina".

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The Board stressed that the attack against the Jewish cemetery "is directly related to the recent court decision to acquit neo-nazi writer Kostas Plevris who incites to acts of violence against the Greek Jews.".

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece addressed a letter of protest to the Interior Minister asking for the protection of Jewish sites.

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Central Board President Moses Constantinis has blamed the authorities for ignoring the repeated requests for the protection of the cemetery by police. He also pointed out the recent increase of anti-Semitic incidents in Greece. Local representatives of political parties have condemned the attack.

.Hundreds of Jews lived in Ioannina until the outbreak of World War II. Most were deported to concentration camps under the Nazi occupation of Greece.

Saturday, 6 June 2009

"The indifference is equally surprising and upsetting. During the war in Gaza Hamas’ leader encouraged the killing of all Jews in the entire world. This was also broadcast here in Norway. I thought that important politicians or ministers would stand up and condemn these threats against one of this nation’s small minorities. I actually thought it would be a matter of course. For no ethnic group in the world "has made itself deserving" of extermination even though one may disagree with them. As far as I know there was no clear publicity about this either on the television, the radio or the press. Our own mayor was silent."

An unauthorized translation of a reader’s letter to Norway’s largest daily, Verdens Gang, printed in the paper edition on May 31st. No link to VG available as of today [June 1st].

"Elie Wiesel has made profound statements about the consequences of hatred and indifference. He warns against precisely this. In a democratic country such as Norway where human rights are constantly on the agenda I thought that we Jews would be safe.

I have not let myself be scared by the those who have warned that history may repeat itself. I am by nature an optimist. But after this winter’s events in the Middle East I am no longer as certain and secure anymore. Hatred against Jews all over the world, also in Norway, scares me.

It has among other ways been expressed through demonstrations, headings in the media and from certain politicians. The indifference is equally surprising and upsetting. During the war in Gaza Hamas’ leader encouraged the killing of all Jews in the entire world. This was also broadcast here in Norway. I thought that important politicians or ministers would stand up and condemn these threats against one of this nation’s small minorities. I actually thought it would be a matter of course. For no ethnic group in the world "has made itself deserving" of extermination even though one may disagree with them. As far as I know there was no clear publicity about this either on the television, the radio or the press. Our own mayor was silent.

In 1942 when the Jews were assembled and deported there were allegedly few or none who knew what was happening. This excuse is not valid today. The incitement to kill Jews has been made loud and clear. A lack of response to this is a sort of acceptance. Certain members of our community have also received death threats. Security in and around the synagogue has been strengthened. During the war in the Middle East it was with a heavy heart that I parted from my family every morning in order to go to work. I was fearful of potential people discovering who they were for thereafter to act in accordance with the incitement from the leader of Hamas. This was a tough time for us all and especially our children who now are youths. Much of the security they had felt earlier had gone, and they experienced the situation as very straining.

Some months have now passed since the war in Gaza, and the situation is apparently calm. In spite of this, there are cracks in my security and faith in those who govern this nation. But I hope with all my heart that those who believe history may repeat itself are wrong.

Friday, 5 June 2009

"Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed -- more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, it is ignorant, and it is hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction -- or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews -- is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve."

Wednesday, 3 June 2009

"Jews constitute less than one-tenth of one percent of Spain's citizenry, and the community maintains a very low profile. Clearly, then, Spaniards' firsthand knowledge of Jews is extremely limited, if not nonexistent. And yet they seem to hate us with unbridled passion."

"And then there was a recent poll commissioned by Spain's Education Ministry, which found that more than 50% of students between 12 and 18 said they would not want to sit next to a Jew in school." Whereas attention is exclusively focused on Spain, one would be surprise if their Portuguese neighbours didn't feel the same about Jews. The Jewish population in Portugal is reduced to around 1,000-1,200 individuals ... worse than Spain. (See here, here and here)

Ask Jews which country they consider to be the European hotbed of anti-Semitism, and you will probably get a variety of responses. Some will no doubt invoke Poland and Germany, in light of the Holocaust, while others will insist that France has become the home of modern anti-Jewish sentiment on the continent. Still others may argue that the Swiss or the Hungarians are competitive candidates for this dubious distinction.

And yet, if three recent studies and a host of nasty incidents are any indication, then the top spot, as it were, would belong to Spain, which is far and away the most rabidly anti-Semitic country in Europe.

Last fall, the Pew Global Attitudes Project published a wide-ranging study on how Jews and Muslims are viewed in various countries. It found that 46 percent of all Spaniards hold negative views of Jews - by far the highest percentage recorded in any non-Muslim country. The runners-up, Russia and Poland, trailed Spain by 10 or more percentage points.

Pew also found that Spain was the only country in Europe where the percentage of those holding negative opinions of Jews exceeded those with a positive view, with just 37% of Spaniards viewing Jews favorably. By contrast, 50% of Poles, 64% of Germans and 73% of Brits have positive views of Jews.

Ample evidence supporting Pew's findings could be found in a study released in February by the Anti-Defamation League on "Attitudes Toward Jews in Seven European Countries." It revealed that more than half of those surveyed in Spain embrace classical anti-Semitic stereotypes regarding Jewish power, loyalty and money.

And then there was a recent poll commissioned by Spain's Education Ministry, which found that more than 50% of students between 12 and 18 said they would not want to sit next to a Jew in school.

No matter how one looks at these figures, they are indisputably harsh, and signify that anti-Semitism in Spain is profound and deeply-rooted.

WHAT MAKES this phenomenon even more troubling is the fact that there are so few Jews in Spain. With just 20,000 out of a population of some 40 million, Jews constitute less than one-tenth of one percent of Spain's citizenry, and the community maintains a very low profile. Clearly, then, Spaniards' firsthand knowledge of Jews is extremely limited, if not nonexistent. And yet they seem to hate us with unbridled passion.

Events in recent months have unfortunately borne this out. In May, Israeli Ambassador Rafi Shotz was a victim of Spanish anti-Semitism. While walking home after attending a soccer game in Madrid, he was accosted by three men who hurled a torrent of anti-Semitic slurs his way, calling him a "Jewish dog" and "dirty Jew."

In mid-January, the windows of Barcelona's Chabad house were smashed by unknown perpetrators, who sprayed anti-Semitic graffiti on the building. Two weeks later, a man wielding a baseball bat was apprehended after striking a Barcelona synagogue and then attacking one of its employees.

And then, of course, there was the outrageous decision earlier this year by Judge Fernando Andreu of Spain's National Court to investigate senior Israeli defense officials for the 2002 assassination of senior Hamas terrorist Salah Shehadeh. The Spanish parliament later took steps to rein in this judicial adventurism.

Various reasons have been offered in an attempt to explain Spain's rising intolerance. These include deep-seated prejudices rooted in the medieval anti-Semitism of the Catholic Church, the rising political power of the far Left which is hostile to Israel, as well as the Spanish media's unbalanced and often biased coverage of the Middle East.

BUT MORE IMPORTANT, perhaps, than the causes behind this phenomenon is the perennial question: What can be done about it? A key part of the answer may lie with the Bnei Anousim (Hebrew for "those who were coerced") - the descendants of Jews who were forcibly converted to Catholicism centuries ago yet continued to cling to their Jewish identity.

Because of their personal background and historical connection with the Jewish people, many Bnei Anousim feel a strong affinity toward Israel. As citizens of Spain, they are perfectly positioned to serve as goodwill ambassadors for the Jewish state, and many of them are more than willing to do so.

Take, for example, Rafael Perez of Zaragoza. He launched a popular Web site in Spanish, Kolisraelorg.net, which promotes Israel and its cause in Spain's often hostile cyberspace. Others, such as Dr. Itzhak Kalafi and his wife Nuria Guash in Barcelona, blog about Israel and work to counter anti-Zionist propaganda in the local press.

Nevertheless, Israel has yet to make use of their talents and commitment. For reasons known only to itself, the Foreign Ministry has done little to reach out to Bnei Anousim, despite their readiness to help. This oversight is a grave mistake. It is simply unthinkable that Israel would fail to tap into this natural pool of support, especially when the overall atmosphere among the Spanish public is so dour.

Clearly, Spain's Jewish problem will not go away overnight. Indeed, 500 years may have passed since it expelled its Jews, but the country still seems to have trouble tolerating even a small Jewish presence.

But that doesn't mean that more cannot be done to improve the situation, and reaching out to the Bnei Anousim seems like a good place to start.

The writer serves as chairman of Shavei Israel (www.shavei.org), a Jerusalem-based group that reaches out to the Bnei Anousim in Spain, Portugal and South America.

Monday, 1 June 2009

The imam who on Monday received a visit from queen Sonja herself, has participated in the blessing of suicide actions targeting all adult Israelis. Mehboob-ur-Rehman is an imam in the Islamic Cultural Center, which this week received a celebrity from the royal family, in connection with the opening of an art exhibition.

Rehman is an honorary member of the European Fatwa Council, which as late as in 2003 declared a fatwa stating that suicide actions are actions which "please Allah" and that all adult Israelis are legitimate targets.

"The acts of martyrdom which the Palestinians carry out in their resistance fight against the Zionist occupation may not be reckoned as illegal terrorism, even though there should be innocent civilians among the victims" the fatwa declares, according to the London-based Arab newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.Read the whole piece hereSource: Norway, Israel and the Jews-------------------------------------------The Islamic Cultural Center mosque has never hidden where they get their ideological inspiration: from Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan, an organization considered to be an extreme group on the extremist side of the religious and political landscape.

When the Norwegian royal family wanted to visit a Muslim community in Norway for the first time ever on Monday, they chose the Islamic Cultural Center. It's unclear if Queen Sonja was aware of the links between the Islamic Cultural Center in Oslo and religious extremist groups in Pakistan.

Spokesperson at the palace Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen says that the Queen was there after having received an invitation to open an exhibition, and added that generally that Royal family doesn't comment on the reasons for their appearances.

Per Sandberg, Deputy head of the Frp (Progress Party), thinks the royal family can naturally visit whomever they want. But, he says, he would have wished the queen didn't legitimize a mosque with radical attitudes. She could have visited a mosque with moderate points of view. It's a paradox that so many Muslims in Norway follow radical movements within Islam after they come to Norway.

Laila Bokhari, researcher at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, says that Jamaat-e-Islami is a fundamentalist and conservative movement. One of the movement's top leaders, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, is, at best, unclear about his attitude towards al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, according to Bokhari. Ahmad was invited by the Islamic Cultural Center in Oslo in 2004 to give a speech.

Fahrat Taj, originally from Pakistan, is writing a doctoral dissertation on human rights and Islam. She say that the Islamic Cultural Center, via its ideological links to Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan, puts itself on the fundamentalist wing. Taj says that in Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami is considered to have connections with al-Qaida. It's typical that Jamaat-e-Islami is now one of three political groups who don't support the army's operations against extremism in the Swat area.

According to the Pakistani press, around 1990 Qazi Hussain Ahmad has several meetings with bin Laden. After the terror attack against the US on September 11, 2001, he said the Jews were responsible. When one of the top leaders of al-Qaeda, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, was arrested in 2003, he was found in the home of then important member of Jamaat-e-Islami. Several experts consulted by Aftenposten emphasize, however, that Jamaat-e-Islami was never a part of bin Laden's terrorist network.

"[...] Samson standing triumphantly above the crowd wrapped in a suicide belt, and it was a frankly nauseating moment to see an Old Testament hero portrayed in this manner.""The Jewish army marches and dances brandishing their automatic weapons in an excess of sexual innuendo, the Philistines are brutally and literally trodden upon, the choreography and movement features Jewish virgins on their backs with their legs spread wide while other male characters sodomise happily, trousers dropped around their ankles ... vulgar and coarse ...""How can an audience applaud suicide-bombing which is not a theatrical device but an everyday event for many, and not only in today's Israel or Palestine. It happens every day in Iraq and Afghanistan and many young European soldiers have lost their lives."

ANTWERP (EJP) --- The news that Camille Saint-Saëns opera Samson and Delilah was to be given a new production by an Israeli-Palestinian team in Antwerp caused some interest and a certain amount of disquiet, not to say consternation, amongst the Jewish population of this Belgian city and not entirely without justification.

It was a curious and unattractive interpretation causing a dichotomy between political over-simplification and total confusion. The production was directed by veteran Israeli Omri Nitzan and his Palestinian protegé Amir Nizar Zuabi, the young, polite, good-looking and young man born "on the wrong side of the wall".

To be fair his point of view was easier to understand than that of his Jewish colleague.

What was the idea ? Simply to reverse the ethnicities of the protagonists/antagonists... Samson (Torsten Kerl) becomes a Philistine, Delilah the Jewish princess (Marianna Tarasova). So far, so seemingly simple.

What went wrong? Apart from muddle-headed thinking the staging often verged upon the silly, confusing and, to a non-Gentile audience, disturbing. The Jewish army marches and dances brandishing their automatic weapons in an excess of sexual innuendo, the Philistines are brutally and literally trodden upon, the choreography and movement features Jewish virgins on their backs with their legs spread wide while other male characters sodomise happily, trousers dropped around their ankles ... vulgar and coarse ...

The problems much of the audience had, but not all, were manifold, but the details are too numerous to mention in this interpretation.

The final moments of the opera saw Samson standing triumphantly above the crowd wrapped in a suicide belt, and it was a frankly nauseating moment to see an Old Testament hero portrayed in this manner.﻿The idea of oppressor versus oppressed is scarcely an original idea, but the result of this ill-conceived production was, almost to be expected in today's political climate, one-sided and left many people bewildered and uncomfortable ... how can an audience applaud suicide-bombing which is not a theatrical device but an everyday event for many, and not only in today's Israel or Palestine. It happens every day in Iraq and Afghanistan and many young European soldiers have lost their lives..

Musically the evening was saved by the orchestral playing led brilliantly by Tomas Netopil.

However, much of the blame for the above must be taken by the Flemish Opera itself for the endless publicity on every page, newsletter and programme showing a young stone-throwing Palestinian child (on stage she is needlessly killed). The opera itself was carried along afterwards by a series of debates and lectures, even a Samson and Delilah weekend.

Other reviewers may have seen this differently, but to this one it felt like a successful propaganda exercise.

Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme (2008)

"We must be wakeful for a new anti-Semitism, sometimes too easy trivialized. We must be wakeful for a new anti-Zionism that is a hidden anti-Semitism that in reality has not accepted the existence of the state of Israel, even sixty years after its foundation. Europe cannot turn its back on Israel. For Israel is linked to the history of Europe, for more than one reason. We cannot speak about the foundation of the Jewish State without mentioning the Holocaust. There is more, the dream of a new Eretz Yisrael was born in Europe, in the hearts and minds of Theodor Herzl and his followers in the 19th century. And since many centuries, in many thousands of European Jewish households, Pesach, the Jewish feast of Easter, ends with the wish: "Next year in Jerusalem!""..........................................

Charles-Joseph, Prince de Ligne (1801)

"It seems to me that this 1800-year-old anger has lasted long enough."